Christening Gifts for an older child

[YouknowIknowbest]

Simply that, I have been asked to be a godparent for a male older child (under 10). Any ideas on what would be a suitable gift?

A copy of the King James Bible or something like a boxed set of The Chronicles of Narnia books?

Definitely a book!

If you have money to burn, something from
the Folio Society might be a treasurable gift:

https://www.foliosociety.com/uk/childrens/fiction

(I gave a beloved nibling a FS Lord of the Rings for their 10th birthday - but it’s gone up a third in price since then …)

DS was given a beautiful silver pen as a christening gift.

Not Disney. That isn't timeless at all and at that age will be outgrown very quickly. A Mickey Mouse ornament won't be on display in a teenage boys bedroom.

I'd say a pen, a classic book, bible.

If you get a bible, a modern translation they can actually read is far better. NIV or CSB are readable and accurate. King James is very hard to read and will likely never be opened. If the family is not actively Christian and wouldn't use a bible, a nice pen sounds good. You can get lamy ones engraved fairly reasonably.

If the family is not actively Christian and wouldn't use a bible, a nice pen sounds good.

If they're christening their son how can they not be actively Christian?

Premium Bonds

@horseymum , I suggested the King James Bible as the child will be quite likely to be given a more modern version. I've somehow ended up with an old family Bible and it's more of a treasured version than a standard English language recent one because of the richness of the language.

I don't think a child would read it, but they might cherish it when older.

If you're going 'worthy', you might as well go all out worthy.

I have a friend with a godchild, and every birthday and Christmas the godchild is given a book. The books are ones my friend thinks the child should read. The child is not a keen reader, which might change, but will have outgrown the books by then. The parents have suggested several times that a gift voucher would be fine, but it's fallen on deaf ears.

The Disney suggestion is an ad, and needs reporting if you haven't already.

I would assume the family has plenty of Bibles if they are a Christian family.
I agree that a really nice copy of a classic or favourite novel. There's some nice Penguin/Puffin hardback classics available.
Perhaps choose a favourite of yours as it gives the gift a more personal link.

I thought that the child being older suggested that the family had not been Christian for long.

When teenagers are baptised at the Church I attend, they tend to be recent converts.

Maybe a youth leader at the church might be a good person to ask.

Definitely a book, a really old one would make an amazing gift. I gave my dd a Victorian edition of the King James Bible. At 10 + they are making the commitment themselves so you can expect them to want religious gifts though a pen is a good gift. My dd also got a cross crafted from olive wood from Bethlehem, a gold cross and a silver scallop shell.

Many families allow their children to choose to be baptised so wait until 10+ so they make the commitment themselves

New Christians tend to be more active in terms of devotion.

I was Christened at 6 weeks old. Church every Sunday. It has never not been part of my life.

Now though I don't feel I have to make a big thing of it. I go as and when but it's always there

New Christians need to form a community with a church etc

https://thechristianpostercompany.com/

this place do some lovely things. If there’s a reading at the christening you could pick a quote out of that might work.

To get into a particular school is usually the answer to that. Lots of people suddenly find religion when they look into education and then forget it just as quickly when the place is secured.

A modern Bible translation.
Tie pin.
If Scottish kilt pin (if wearing a kilt)

I'd try and come up with something for them to keep, much easier for a girl than boy.

Google ideas for 1st Communion gifts. Which are normally around that same sort of age within the RC church.

Maybe a book of bible stories rather than a bible as it's easier to read and will be illustrated.

Silver cufflinks with the date of christening on, or a pendant with the same.

I was baptised aged 8. I got a lot of jewellery but my favourite was an illustrated children's copy of the pilgrims progress. I still have it, it's an amazing book and the pictures are beautiful.

That sounds lovely. @elliejjtiny . The jewellery and necklace would mean nothing to me.

I have no idea if I got any christening gifts. I doubt it Eldest sibling did. I don't have any godparents. We were baptized as babies.

Did you not have godparents for your baptism / christening @GloriaMundy?

I wasn’t really clear on any distinction between baptism and christening in the C of E so looked it up;

https://www.churchofengland.org/life-events/christenings/christening-faqs#na

I had some silver cuff links made with his date of birth on. Hopefully he'll wear them, either that or get them melted down!

I got a cross with my name and date of birth engraved on it.

I was given it for baptism at 6 weeks old and it remains my most treasured possession.

That's what a christening present is about. Something that lasts.